Advantages of Traditional Strength Training

Many of the strength training techniques and habits that are popular today are very different from traditional strength training or bodybuilding. Many of the exercises that are common in the gym today have evolved into more complex movements and fancy machines have replaced the roles of free weights. As a result, most of the bodybuilders today look very different from those in the 70s and 80s. However, the benefits of old-school bodybuilding still exists and in many ways, old-school bodybuilding may be more effective than modern strength training. If you want the Arnold Schwarzenegger physique, then consider switching to traditional strength training.

Simple strength training routine

One of the major benefits of traditional strength training is its simplicity. Compared to the training routne in recent years, old-school bodybuilders have a simpler but focused routine, the exercises are limited and includes only simple movements like dumbbell curls, shoulder press and deadlifts. Some old-school bodybuilders only perform bench press and deadlifts to add mass. Often, those are the exercises which adds most muscles to the body which explains why many of the old school bodybuilders have massive physique but not as much definition as the bodybuilders of today.

If your goal is to get big and doesn’t want to spend time learning complicated exercises, you can follow the strength training routine of the old school bodybuilders. Some of the favourite exercises of Arnold Schwarzenegger include bench press, incline bench press, deadlift, dumbbell pullover and crunches.

Train with free weights

Most of the gym equipments that are currently used are not available back in those days, bodybuilders in the 70s train maninly with free weights such as dumbbells, barbells, weights plates instead of smith machines. Their only goal was to lift as heavy as they can and perform as many reps to push their bodies to their limits.

Bodybuilders plan their workouts in terms of phases, the bulk phase and the cut phase. During the bulking phase, bodybuilders would lift very heavy and do less repetitions. Focusing on compound movements such as squats and bench press also helps them increase their muscle mass. When following the old school bodybuilding technique, keep in mind your goals and plan your workout beforehand. As you will be using dumbbells most of the time, make sure you have several pairs of dumbbell sets and barbells sets in Singapore before you start your training.

Nutrition

Protein. That is all old school bodybuilders have in mind. Due to the large amounts of muscle breakdown, plenty of protein is needed to refuel the muscles and repair the damaged muscle tissue. In the old days when research in nutrition for bodybuilding has just begun, there was no distinction between macronutrients and micronutrients thus many strength trainers focus only on their protein intake and calorie intake. Whilst being simple, this type of diet isn’t ideal in the long run. A combination of protein and other supplements such as creatine and whey isolate can yield better results.

Conclusion

In short, the simplicity and focus of the old school bodybuilding techniques involving only free weights such as dumbbells and barbells is beneficial for building mass with limited equipment. Often, the increase in the complexity of the workout lowers its effectiveness, returning to the traditional method of bodybuilding can sometimes be a good choice for those who are facing a plateau.